Pineapple Cake - Sugar Free!

Hungry girl yet again. I made this cake for my moms birthday because she doesn't eat sugar either. And it turned out very rich, gooey, and delicious!

What you need...
Topping
1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread
1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar blend (not packed) (or regular brown sugar if you eat sugar)
7 pineapple rings packed in juice, drained
7 maraschino cherries

Cake
Half of an 18.25-oz. box (about 1 1/2 cups) moist-style sugar free yellow cake mix
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup club soda
1/4 cup no-sugar-added applesauce

How to make it...
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a round cake pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

Place butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 15 seconds, just until melted. Add brown sugar and mix well. Spread mixture evenly along the bottom of the cake pan. Set aside.

Blot pineapple rings and cherries with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Lay pineapple rings in an even layer in the cake pan, and place one cherry in the center of each pineapple ring. Set aside.

To make the batter, combine cake mix with baking powder in a large bowl. Mix well. Add club soda and applesauce, and stir until smooth.

Evenly pour batter into the cake pan over the fruit layer. Bake in the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 - 35 minutes.

Allow cake to cool completely. Firmly and securely place a plate over the pan, and carefully flip so the plate is on the bottom. Gently lift pan to release the cake.

Cut into 8 slices.

Per Slice= Calories:189 Carbs:39g Protein:1.5g

Quesadilla Salad

Directions:

• 1 small low-carb whole wheat tortilla (We love La Toritlla tortillas)
• 1/4 cup shredded fat free cheddar cheese.
• 3 cups chopped lettuce
• 3 ounces cooked chicken cut in srtrips
• 1/4 cup diced tomato
• 2 tablespoons canned sweet corn, drained
• 1 tablespoon black beans rinsed
• 1 teaspoon fajita seasoning mix, dry (look for lower-sodium)

Directions:

1. STart  by mixing fajita seasoning mix and 2 teaspoons of water. Toss the chicken in this mixture and set aside.

1. 2 To make the quesadilla, place tortilla in a pan lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle cheese evenly over one half of the tortilla, and then bring the pan to medium heat. Once the cheese begins to melt, use a spatula to fold the plain half over and press down to seal. Flip and continue to cook and press until the entire quesadilla is hot and toasty; set aside.
2. 3 Build your salad by layering the lettuce, tomatoes, corn and black beans. Top with the chicken (heating first if desired); cut the quesadilla into triangles and place them around your salad.

4. Garnish your salad with Cilantro! If you'd like... and use lemons, limes, and pico de gallo for your dressing! OR see if you can find a low fat/ low calorie dressing of your choice. 

This makes one serving, 200 calories, sodium depends on fajita mix you find. 

Fruity Chicken Salad

This recipe is very flexible. Feel free to the fruit, or seasoning to your likening! 

4 1/2 ounces canned chicken, or shredded chicken.

• 1/2 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1/3 cup red seedless grapes, halved
• 1/3 cup apple, chopped
• 1/4 cup fat free yogurt (we love Dannon lit n' fit) (Or fat free sour cream)
• 2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
• 1 dash salt

Mix together the yogurt, mayonnaise, sweetener, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt. Coat the chicken in this mixture, and then stir in the chopped cucumber, grape halves, and chopped apple. 

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Dip with reduced fat wheat thins or triscuits! YUM!
.
We don't have the exact calories, BUT I am pretty sure its around 135 per serving.

Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

We added too much chili powder, so BE CAREFUL! and make sure you cook them till they are crispy!

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp chili powder

Directions:
preheat the oven to 425
Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. cut each half into three or four wedged
In a mixing bowl, combine sweet potato wedges with oil. Sprinkle chili powder over sweet potatoes and stir again. Place potatoes on foiled line cookie sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes. Turning wedges several times during roasting so they cook evenly!

Serves 4. calories 66, fiber 2g protein 1g, sugars 3g and sodium 36m

Chicken Tortilla Soup (crockpot)

This recipe is from a cookbook Breanne got my for my Bday!

ingredients

• 2  14-ounce cans  chicken broth with roasted garlic
• 1  14-1/2-ounce can  Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 2  cups  shredded cooked chicken (about 10 ounces)
• 2  cups  frozen (yellow, green, and red) peppers and onion stir-fry vegetables
• 1  cup  tortilla chips
•     Sliced fresh jalapeno chile peppers* (optional)

directions

1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine broth, undrained tomatoes, chicken, and frozen vegetables.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.

3. To serve, ladle soup into warm soup bowls and top with tortilla chips. If desired, top with chile peppers. Makes 4 servings.

Tip Because chile peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with them as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the peppers, wash your hands and nails well with soap and warm water.

nutrition facts

• Calories181, 
• Total Fat (g)4, 
• Saturated Fat (g)1, 
• Cholesterol (mg)36, 
• Sodium (mg)1383, 
• Carbohydrate (g)19, 
• Fiber (g)1, 
• Protein (g)18, 
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Molten Lava Cakes

So we tried this recipe. And it didn't turn out great. So... we want everyone else to try it and leave comments or E-mail us how it turns out! And if you change anything let us know! This recipe is from my cookbook, The Best of Clean Eating.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup Sucanat
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup white whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Orange or pear slices, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

ONE: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Lightly spray four 4-ounce custard cups or small ramekins with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine cocoa powder and Sucanat; whisk in applesauce and oil.

TWO: In a small bowl, lightly whisk egg and egg white and add to cocoa mixture, whisking until smooth. Stir in flour and vanilla until flour is combined completely – do not overmix.

THREE: Divide mixture evenly among prepared custard cups, place on a baking sheet and bake for nine minutes. Centers should be soft but sides firm. Invert cups onto serving plates; let stand a few minutes before removing cups. Garnish each cake with fruit slices, if desired; serve warm.

FOUR: Stir in flour and vanilla until flour is combined completely – do not over mix. Divide mixture evenly among prepared custard cups, place on a baking sheet and bake for 9 minutes. Centers should be soft but sides firm. Invert cups onto serving plates; let stand a few minutes before removing cups. Garnish each cake with fruit slices, if desired, and serve warm.

Tomato-Basil Chicken

This is the easiest Tomato-Basil recipe. Feel free to add to this recipe. Leave comments if you do and tell us what you add! Another great way to eat this is to chop up the chicken and use it as a sauce on noodles. (Tofu Shirataki noodles, or any whole what pasta)

Ingredients:
1 pound of lean chicken breast
1 1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes with basil
1 1/2 cup of thinly sliced onions

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350
Bring a pan sprayed with Pam and cook onions until they begin to brown.
Pour half of the tomatoes into a medium baking pan.
Lay the chicken in the pan and top with onions.
Pour the rest of the tomatoes evenly over the chicken and onions.
Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Makes four servings: one serving is 175 calories, 1.5g fat, 251mg sodium, 11g carbs, 2g fiber, 6g sugar, and 28g protein.

Cauliflower Cheese Casserole!

Cauliflower + Cheese = AMAZING

Ingredients:
1 large head of cauliflower chopped
1 onion chopped
3 wedges of light laughing cow swiss cheese (ROOM TEMP!)
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded fat free cheddar cheese
1 cup fat free liquid egg substitute
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
And Paprika is optional. (A definite yes for us!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375
place cauliflower and onion in a large microwave bowl with 1/2 cup water. cover and microwave for 7 (ish) minutes.  wait for the bowl to cool, and then drain water and set aside.
Place cheese wedges in a bowl and microwave for 10-15 seconds. mix until smooth.
Add cheese and all of the other ingredients to the bowl with cauliflower and onion and stir until well mixed.
Put in a well sprayed baking dish and sprinkle paprika on top. bake in the oven for one hour!

Taco Salad

Taco Salad!

Ingredients:
3 cups of chopped romaine lettuce
2/3 cup of low-fat veggie chili (This stuff is good!)
1/4 cup of chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup shredded fat free cheese
2 Tablespoons of fat free sour cream
1 Tablespoon of chopped or sliced black olives
6 baked tortilla chips. (I crush them and sprinkle them on top)
1/4 teaspoon of low sodium taco seasoning mix

Directions:
prepare chili as directions on can.
place lettuce in a large bowl and top with tomatos, add the chili and cheese
top with olives and sour cream, then finish by crushing up the chips and sprinkling taco seasoning!

makes one serving: 280 calories, 3.5g fat, 12g fiber.. (sorry this is all the info i could get for it.)

Worlds easiest brownie muffins

So I saw this recipe while watching TV! So easy, and So yummy.

Ingredients:
1 box of devils food cake mix (I used the new Sugar Free kind :) )
one 15 oz can pure pumpkin

Directions:
 preheat the oven to 400
Mix the two ingredients together.
DONT add anything else that may be mentioned on the box, like the eggs, oil or water.

Place batter into 12 muffin cups sprayed with Pam! Bake for about 20 minutes.

Makes 12 servings: one muffin is 180 calories, 3.5 grams of fat.

Veggie Tuna Wrap

Veggie Tuna Wrap! (Jessie doesn't like tuna so she substitutes canned chicken)

Ingredients:
I medium low fat tortilla (we love the brand La Tortilla) (about 110 calories per tortilla)
2 oz of canned tuna (or canned chicken) drained from can
2 TBL broccoli coleslaw mix (or regular kind)
1 TBL chopped dill pickle
1 TBL chopped red onions
2 small tomato slices, halved
1 TBL fat-free mayo
2 TBL of spicy, or dijonnaise mustard.

Directions:
microwave tortilla until slightly warm and set it aside
combine tuna, mayo, and mustard. add pickle, onions, and slaw mix. mix well.
place tuna mixture in the center of your tortilla add tomato slices then fold tortilla sides and rollit up tightly!

Another good idea is to make this a quesdilla! cut the tortilla in half, and fry on pan! SOOOO good.

Makes one serving: 215 calories.

Chicken Cordon Bleu!

Chicken Cordon Bleu! So yummy and so easy!
This recipe makes ONE serving. Very Very easy to turn into 2,3,4, or 5!

Ingredients:
One 5 oz chicken breast
1 wedge of Laughing Cow Light original Swiss Cheese Wedge
1 oz (2 slices) of either fat free ham, or Turkey Bacon.


Directions:
preheat oven to 350
Pound chicken breast with meat pounder till flat
(Here you can season with salt and pepper)
Lay the chicken flat and spread the cheese wedge over it. evenly layer the ham or turkey bacon on top of the cheese. tightly roll up the chicken breast, and secure with toothpicks. place chicken roll in a baking pan sprayed with pam and cover with foil bake in oven for 20 minutes.
Carefully remove the foil and continue to uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked throughly!

Worlds Biggest Omelette

Yes, Its this big.

Ingredients: 2 cups fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters) 1/2 cup fat-free milk 1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese (any flavor) 1 cup sliced bell peppers (any color) 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/2 cup sliced tomatoes 1/2 cup sliced onions 1 tbsp. reduced-fat parmesan-style grated topping 3/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. black pepper Optional toppings: ketchup, salsa, hot sauce Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Into a deep, round casserole dish (about 9 inches wide) sprayed with nonstick spray, pour egg substitute and milk. Add shredded cheese, tomatoes, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix well, and then set aside. Bring a large pan sprayed with nonstick spray (butter-flavored spray if you have it) to high heat. Stirring occasionally, cook peppers, onions, and mushrooms for 2 minutes (just long enough to brown the outsides). Add veggies to the casserole dish, and mix well. Place dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Next, carefully remove the dish from the oven and evenly cover with parm-style topping. Return it to the oven, and cook for 20 - 25 minutes longer (until the top has puffed and is firm). Allow to cool slightly before cutting. Then, if you like, finish off with the optional ingredients (or any of your fave omelette toppers!). MAKES 4 SERVINGS

PER SERVING (1 huge piece, 1/4th of dish): 140 calories, 3g fat, 387mg sodium, 9g carbs, 1g fiber, 5g sugars, 18g protein --PointsPlus™ value 3* 

Fruit Salad

Fruit Salad!

Everyone likes their own version of fruit salads so pick what you want!

Start with Mixed greens and Spinach

Suggested fruits:

Dried mango

Sliced green apple

blackberries

blueberries

strawberries

cranberries

grapes

Additional Toppings:

Slivered almonds (cashews can be good too)

Grated Mozzarella cheese or cheese crumbles

Cottage cheese! mix in a little cottage cheese.. its so yummy.

Grilled chicken! 

Dressings:

Newmans own light honey mustard.

Newmans owns light sesame ginger

Newmans own light Balsamic vinegar

Nacho, Bean, Stuffed Chicken.

1/2 cup fat-free refried beans 

4 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese

1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

16 low-fat baked tortilla chips (like the kind by Guiltless Gourmet)

1 tsp. dry taco seasoning mix

Four 5-oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast cutlets, pounded to 1/3-inch thickness

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/4 cup taco sauce, divided

Optional toppings: fat-free sour cream, salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside.

To make the filling, combine beans, cheese wedges, and shredded cheese in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Put chips in a sealable plastic bag and crush with your hands or a rolling pin. Add taco seasoning and give it a good shake to mix. Set aside.

Place cutlets flat on a clean, dry surface, and season with salt and black pepper. Spoon filling onto the centers of the cutlets, evenly dividing it among them (about 2 tbsp. each). Carefully roll each cutlet up over the filling (which may ooze a little, but don't worry!) and secure with toothpicks, if needed. Transfer to the baking sheet.

Cover each stuffed cutlet with 1 tbsp. taco sauce, using the back of the spoon or your fingers to coat. Coat cutlets with crumb mixture. Cover the baking sheet with foil, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil. Bake until chicken is cooked through and outsides are crispy, about 15 additional minutes.

Let cool slightly and remove toothpicks (if using). If you like, top with sour cream and salsa. Enjoy! 

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

PER SERVING (1/4th of recipe, 1 stuffed chicken cutlet): 270 calories, 4.25g fat, 780mg sodium, 13g carbs, 2g fiber, 1.5g sugars, 40g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 6*

Macaroni and Cheese!

This is another hungry girl recipe, that we just changed slightly. Can you tell we LOVE her?

All you need is...

Pasta noodles cooked and drained (I used rotini)

5-6 laughing cow cheese wedges (Light Swiss or light Queso flavor)

1/4 cup skim milk

10 oz Frozen chopped broccoli

Salt and pepper to taste

How to make it...

Boil the noodles until cooked. Drain. Add cheese wedges, broccoli, and skim milk to desired consistency, and stir until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper and Enjoy!

Slow-cooker Chili



This is a Vegetarian Chili that has a LOT of flavor! But if you aren't vegetarian feel free to throw in some chicken or extra-lean ground beef!

What you need...

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped (Sweet potatos, or butternut squash are good too)
6 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce, or more if needed
1 cup vegetable broth, or more if needed

How to make it...

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook the green, red, and yellow bell peppers, onions, and garlic until the onions start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.(I added the zucchini in as well.)  Place the mixture into a slow cooker. Stir in spinach, corn, zucchini, yellow squash, chili powder, cumin, oregano, parsley, salt, black pepper, tomatoes, black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and tomato paste until thoroughly mixed. Pour the tomato sauce and vegetable broth over the ingredients.
2. Set the cooker on Low, and cook until all vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 hours. (or High for 3-4 hours)Check seasoning; if chili is too thick, add more tomato sauce and vegetable broth to desired thickness. Cook an additional 1 to 2 hours to blend the flavors.

***P.s. Something that would be really good with this would be Golden Corn Vita tops. You can order them on that website, or get them at some grocery stores like Harmons in the freezer section. Look at all the awesome flavors!

Chicken and Veggie Pasta!

Nooodles, chicken, vegetables, and garlic? yep its that good. Thanks Hungry Girl!


Ingredients:
2 bags House Foods Tofu Shirataki Spaghetti Shaped Noodle Substitute
8 oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast cutlets
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt, divided, or more to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper, or more to taste
20 asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces 
(about 2 1/2 cups)
1 cup sliced brown mushrooms
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and thinly sliced
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown)
1 tbsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping

Directions:
Use a strainer and rinse noodles well. Pat them dry. then cut in half.

Spray a skillet with nonstick spray and turn to medium-high heat. add chicken and season with italian seasoning. add half the salt and half pepper. cook until fully cooked.

Remove chicken from the skillet. Once cool enough to handle, slice chicken and set aside.

Remove skillet from heat, re-spray, and return to medium-high heat. Add asparagus and 2 tbsp. water. Cover and cook for 4 minutes.

Remove cover and add mushrooms, tomatoes, and garlic to the skillet. Stirring occasionally, cook until veggies are tender, about 4 minutes.

Add noodles to the skillet, stir, and cook just until any excess water has evaporated and noodles are hot, about 2 minutes.

Add butter, remaining salt, and chicken to the skillet. Cook and stir until ingredients are well mixed and butter has melted, about 1 minute.

Add Parm-style topping and mix well. If you like, season to taste with additional salt and pepper. YUM!

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe (about 2 1/2 cups)
Calories: 274
Fat: 8g
Sodium: 546mg
Carbs: 18.5g
Fiber: 7.5g
Sugars: 3.5g
Protein: 34g